Method and Device for Measuring Phase Noise

ABSTRACT

A method and a device for measuring the phase noise of a signal registers the measurement signal (V) with a given measurement frequency (f 1 ) and with a superimposed phase noise (f 1 (t)), divides the measurement signal (V) into a first and second measurement signal (V 1 ′, V 2 ′), derives a first signal (V 1 ) with a first frequency ((f 1 +f 1 (t))/N) reduced relative to the measurement frequency (f 1 ) and the superimposed phase noise (f 1 (t)) and a second signal (V 2 ) with a second frequency ((f 1 +f 1 (t))/M) reduced relative to the measurement frequency (f 1 ) and the superimposed phase noise (f 1 (t)), determines a third signal (V 3 ) with a third frequency (f 3 (t)) compensated by the measurement frequency (f 1 ) relative to the first frequency ((f 1 +f 1 (t))/N) of the first signal (V 1 ) and a fourth signal (V 4 ) with a fourth frequency (f 4 (t)) compensated by the measurement frequency (f 1 ) relative to the second frequency ((f 1 +f 1 (t))/M) of the second signal (V 2 ) and determines a correlation spectrum from the third and fourth signal (V 3 , V 4 ). The frequencies of the third and fourth signal (V 3 , V 4 ) come to be disposed in each case within the frequency range of the correlation spectrum as a result of the frequency division of the frequency (f 1 +f 1 (t)) of the first and second measurement signal (V 1 ′, V 2 ′).

The invention relates to a method and a device for measuring the phase noise of a signal.

According to the prior art, the phase noise of a signal source, for example, a frequency oscillator, is measured with a device corresponding to FIG. 1.

For this purpose, the frequency signal generated by the signal source 1 with a basic frequency f₁ and a phase noise f₁(t) superimposed on this basic frequency f₁ is mixed in a mixer 2 with the reference-frequency signal generated by a reference-signal source 3 with a basic frequency f₂. A signal component with a frequency, which corresponds to the addition of the frequencies of the frequency signal generated by the signal source 1 and the frequency signal generated by the reference-signal source 3, and a signal component with a frequency, which corresponds to the subtraction of the frequencies of the frequency signal generated by the signal source 1 and of the frequency signal generated by the reference-signal source 3 are disposed at the output of the mixer 2. In a low-pass filter 4 connected downstream of the mixer 2, the signal component with the additive combination of frequencies of the signal source 1 and the reference-signal source 3 is screened out. The signal component of the subtracted combination of the frequencies of the signal source 1 and of the reference-signal source 3 is supplied as the control difference of a phase-locked loop to the controlled reference-signal source 3 for minimization. In the settled condition of the phase-locked loop, the basic frequency f₂ of the reference-frequency signal corresponds to the basic frequency f₁ of the frequency signal, so that a signal with a frequency corresponding to the phase noise f₁(t) is disposed at the output of the low-pass filter 4

The disadvantage with a device of this kind for measuring the phase noise of a signal is the fact that the reference-frequency signal generated by the reference-signal source 3 is also contaminated with a phase noise f₂(t), which is undesirably superimposed on the phase noise f₁(t) of the signal source 1 in the signal at the output of the low-pass filter 4.

In order to overcome this significant disadvantage, the specification US 2005/0238094 A1 discloses a method and a device for measuring phase noise, which are based on a correlation analysis. The measurement signal V generated by a signal source 100 with a given frequency f₁ to be measured and a superimposed phase noise f₁(t) is subdivided in a downstream distributor 105 into a first measurement signal V₁′ in a first signal path and a second measurement signal V₂′ in a second signal path. The first or respectively second measurement signal V₁′ or V₂′ is converted in each case in a mixer 180 or 190 into a first or respectively second signal V₁ or V₂ in each case with reduced frequency. The mixer frequency of the first and second mixer 180 and 190 are generated in each case by a local oscillator 181 and 191.

The first signal V₁ is supplied to a first phase-locked loop 110, consisting of a first mixer 111, a subsequent, first low-pass filter 112 and a controlled, first reference-signal source 113 corresponding to the first phase-locked loop in FIG. 1, in order to generate a third signal V₃ with a third frequency f₃(t) compensated by the measurement frequency f₁ relative to the first frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/N of the first signal V₁. The third frequency f₃(t) contains the phase noise f₁(t) of the signal source 100 and the phase noise f₂₁(t) of the controlled, first reference-signal source 113. The second signal V₂ is supplied in a similar manner to a second phase-locked loop 120, consisting of a second mixer 121, a subsequent, second low-pass filter 122 and a controlled, second reference-signal source 123 in order to generate a fourth signal V₄ with a fourth frequency f₄(t) compensated by the measurement frequency f₁ relative to the second frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/M of the second signal V₂. The fourth frequency f₄(t) contains the phase noise f₁(t) of the signal source 100 and the phase noise f₂₂(t) of the controlled, second reference-signal source 123.

After an analog/digital conversion of the third signal V₃ in a first analog/digital converter 150 and, based upon the latter, a Fourier analysis of the digitized third signal V₃ in a first Fast-Fourier transformer 151 (FFT), and in a corresponding manner, an analog/digital conversion of the fourth signal V₄ in a second analog/digital converter 160 and, based upon the latter, a Fourier analysis of the digitized fourth signal V₄ in a second Fast-Fourier transformer 161, the associated correlation spectrum is calculated from the two Fourier spectra of the third and fourth signals V₃ and V₄ in a downstream correlator 170.

An averaging unit 171 disposed downstream of the correlator 140 implements an averaging over time of the correlation spectra calculated in the correlator 170 over a sufficiently long time interval T. The averaging result contains only the spectral components of the phase noise f₁(t) contained in the third and fourth signal V₃ and V₄ of the signal source 100, but not the spectral components of the phase noise f₂₁(t) and f₂₂(t) of the controlled first and second reference-signal source 113 and 123 also contained in the third and fourth signal V₃ and V₄ and not correlated with one another.

In this context, the use of a mixer for frequency reduction in order to achieve a frequency expansion of the phase noise f₁(t) to be measured within the limited frequency-measurement range of the correlator represents a comparatively cost-intensive realization.

The object of the invention is therefore to develop further a method and a device for measuring the phase noise of a signal in such a manner that the frequency reduction of the two measurement signals is realized with the minimum possible cost in order to achieve a frequency expansion of the phase noise f₁(t) to be measured within the limited frequency-measurement range of the correlator.

The object of the invention is achieved by a method according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of a signal with the features of claim 1 and by a device according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of a signal with the features of claim 8.

According to the invention, the frequency reduction of the first and second measurement signal V₁′ and V₂′ is realized with a frequency divider instead of a mixer. The solution by means of a frequency divider does not require a cost-intensive local oscillator as in the context of a mixer and is therefore significantly less costly.

Feedback, edge-triggered D flip-flops, which are cascaded with one another dependent upon the division factor to be realized, are used as frequency dividers for a division factor of two and integer multiples of two.

In the most general case, the frequency division of the frequency f₁+f₁(t) of the first measurement signal V₁′ is implemented into a first frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/N, while the frequency division of the frequency f₁+f₁(t) of the second measurement signal V₂′ is implemented into a second frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/M.

A crosstalking of the first or second signal V₁ or V₂ between the first and second signal path is prevented with different division factors N and M.

In the case of identical division factors N and M, the phases of the first and second signal V₁ and V₂, which each contain the phase noise f₁(t) of the signal source, must be synchronized, in order to avoid impairing the correlation result for the determination of the phase noise f₁(t) of the signal source through a phase offset between the third and fourth signal V₃ and V₄ feeding into the correlation. In this context, a synchronization can alternatively be implemented on a positive or negative edge of the first and second measurement signal V₁′ and V₂′ to be divided in its frequency.

For the synchronization, the phases of the first and second signal V₁ and V₂ at the output of the respective frequency divider are compared with one another and, in the case of a phase difference Δφ, the individual trigger circuits cascaded in the respective frequency divider are reset via a resetting logic circuit, in each case via the reset input. This targeted, synchronous resetting of all cascaded D flip-flop circuits of the two frequency dividers determines a mutually-synchronous phase of the first and second frequency-reduced signal V₁ and V₂ at the output of the respective frequency divider.

An embodiment of the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of signal is explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings are as follows:

FIG. 1 shows a block-circuit diagram of a device for measuring the phase noise of a signal source according to the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a block-circuit diagram of a device for measuring the phase noise of a signal source by means of correlation analysis according to the prior art;

FIG. 3 shows a block-circuit diagram of a device according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of a signal;

FIGS. 4A, 4B show a block-circuit diagram of the frequency divider with phase synchronization in the case of a positive and negative edge of the input signal; and

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart for a method according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of a signal.

The device according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of a signal, as shown in FIG. 3, in each case contains a first and second frequency divider 200 and 210 instead of the first and second mixer 180 and 190 of the device for measuring the phase noise of a signal according to the prior art, as shown in FIG. 2. The device according to the invention includes the other device features of the device for measuring the phase noise of a signal according to the prior art, but such features are shown with the same reference numbers and are therefore not described again in detail.

The first frequency divider 200 divides the measurement frequency f₁ and the superimposed phase noise f₁(t) of the first measurement signal V₁′ at its input by the integer division factor N into a first frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/N of the first signal V₁ at its output. In a similar manner, the second frequency divider 210 divides the measurement frequency f₁ and the superimposed phase noise f₁(t) of the second measurement signal V₂′ at its input by the integer division factor M into a second frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/M of the second signal V₂ at its output.

Typically, but not necessarily, the division factor N of the first frequency divider 200 differs from the division factor M of the second frequency divider 210, in order to prevent a crosstalking of the first and second signal V₁ and V₂ between the first and second signal path. However, the case of an identical division factor N and M of the first and second frequency divider 200 and 210 is also covered by the invention.

In a first embodiment with a triggering in the case of a positive edge of the first or second measurement signal V₁′ or V₂′ as shown in FIG. 4A, and in a second embodiment with a triggering in the case of a negative edge of the first or second measurement signal V₁′ or V₂′ as shown in FIG. 4B, the frequency divider 200 and 210 consists of at least one feedback, edge-triggered triggering circuit, a so-called D flip-flop, which implements a frequency division in each case by the division factor two. With a division factor of an integer multiple of two, a number of feedback, edge-triggered D-flip-flop circuits 240 ₁, 240 ₂, . . . , 240 _(n) corresponding to the division factor must be cascaded with one another.

With a triggering of the frequency divider 200 and 210 in the case of a negative edge of the first or second measurement signal V₁′ or V₂′ as shown in FIG. 4B, an inverter 250, which inverts the respective negative edges of the first or second measurement signal V₁′ or V₂′ into positive edges and therefore allows the use of a frequency divider with a triggering in the case of a positive edge of the first or second measurement signal V₁′ and V₂′ according to FIG. 4A, should be connected upstream of the first feedback, edge-triggered D flip-flop circuit 240 ₁. In addition to the frequency division, a synchronization of the phases of the frequency-reduced first and second signal V₁′ or V₂′ at the respective output of the first and second frequency divider 200 and 210 is implemented in the first and second frequency divider 200 and 210. For this purpose, the two phases of the frequency-reduced first and second signal V₁′ and V₂′ at the output of the first and second frequency divider 200 and 210 are compared with one another in a phase comparator 220. If there is a phase deviation Δφ between the two phases, a resetting signal, Reset, for resetting all feedback edge-triggered D flip-flop circuits, which are each cascaded with one another in the first and second frequency divider 200 and 210, is generated in a resetting logic circuit 230 connected downstream of the phase comparator 220. The method of functioning of the resetting logic circuit 230 is based substantially on an activation of the Reset signal whenever a threshold value is exceeded by the phase deviation Δφ.

The following section describes the method according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of a signal with reference to a flow chart as shown in FIG. 5.

In the first procedural stage S10 of the method according to the invention, the measurement signal V with a given measurement frequency f₁, on which a phase noise f₁(t) is superimposed, is registered.

In the next procedural stage S20, the signal V to be measured is divided in the divider 105 into a first measurement signal V₁′ in a first signal path and a second measurement signal V₂′ in a second signal path, which is approximately identical to the first measurement signal V₁′.

The next procedural stage S30 contains the frequency division of the frequency f₁+f₁(t) of the first measurement signal V₁′ by the division factor N into a first frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/N of the first signal V₁ in a first frequency divider 200 and, in a similar manner, the frequency division of the frequency f₁+f₁(t) of the second measurement signal V₂′ by the division factor M into a second frequency (f₁+f₁(t))/M of the second signal V₂ in a second frequency divider 210.

The value of the division factors N and M is established in such a manner that, on the one hand, the phase-angle deviation determined by a frequency change Δf₁ of the signal source 100 in a downstream first and second phase-locked loop 110 and 120 does not cause an overdriving of the phase comparator 111 and 121 and does not cause an unsuccessful controlling of the respective phase-locked loop 110 and 120; and, on the other hand, that the frequencies of the third and fourth signal V₃ and V₄ come to be disposed within the frequency range of the first and second Fast-Fourier transformer 151 and 161.

In the next procedural stage S40, a third and respectively fourth signal V₃ and V₄ characterizing the phase noise f₁(t) of the signal source 100 are determined, in a downstream first and second phase-locked loop 110 and 120, from the frequency-reduced first and respectively second signal V₁ and V₂, on which the phase noise f₂₁(t) and respectively f₂₂(t) of the first and second mixer 111 and 121 of the first and second phase-locked loop 110 and respectively 120 is additionally superimposed.

After an analog/digital conversion in a first and second analog/digital converter 150 and 160 and a Fourier analysis in a first and second Fast-Fourier transformer 151 and 161, the Fourier spectra of the third and fourth signal V₃ and V₄ are supplied, in the next procedural stage S50, to a correlator 170 in order to determine the correlation spectrum with reference to a correlation analysis.

After the calculation of several correlation spectra over a given time interval T, the calculated correlation spectra are supplied, in the final procedural stage S60, for averaging in an averaging unit 171. With the averaging of the correlation spectra over a sufficiently long time interval T, the spectral components of the non-mutually-correlated phase noise f₂₁(t) and f₂₂(t) of the first and second mixer 111 and 121 in the first and second phase-locked loop 110 and 120, in particular, the phase noise of the first and second frequency divider 200 and 210, cancel each other out in the averaged correlation spectrum. The averaged correlation spectrum therefore correctly contains, in amplification, only the spectral components of the phase noise f₁(t) of the signal source 100.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiment of the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention for measuring the phase noise of a signal. The invention also covers other realization variants for a frequency divider, which are not described here, especially realization variants of a frequency divider with a division factor, which is not equal to two or which is not equal to an integer multiple of two. 

1. Method for measuring the phase noise of a signal, comprising: registering a measurement signal (V) with a given measurement frequency (f₁) and with a superimposed phase noise (f₁(t)), subdividing the measurement signal (V) into a first measurement signal (V₁′) and a second measurement signal (V₂′) in each case with the given measurement frequency (f₁) and with the superimposed phase noise (f₁(t)), deriving a first signal (V₁) from the first measurement signal (V₁′) with a first frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/N) reduced by frequency reduction relative to the measurement frequency (f₁) and the superimposed phase noise (f₁(t)), deriving a second signal (V₂) from the second measurement signal (V₂′) with a second frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/M) reduced by frequency reduction relative to the measurement frequency (f₁) and the superimposed phase noise (f₁(t)), determining a third signal (V₃) with a third frequency (f₃(t)) compensated by the measurement frequency (f₁) relative to the first frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/N) of the first signal (V₁), determining a fourth signal (V₄) with a fourth frequency (f₄(t)) compensated by the measurement frequency (f₁) relative to the second frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/M) of the second signal (V₂), determining a correlation spectrum from the third and fourth phase signal (V₃, V₄), wherein the frequency reduction is implemented by frequency division of the frequency (f₁+f₁(t)) of the first and second measurement signal (V₁′, V₂′), so that the third and fourth frequency (f₁(t)/N, f₁(t)/M) of the third and fourth signal (V₃′, V₄′) comes to be disposed in each case within the frequency range of the correlation spectrum.
 2. Method for measuring phase noise according to claim 1, wherein the first frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/N) of the first signal (V₁) and the second frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/M) of the second signal (V₂) are identical.
 3. Method for measuring phase noise according to claim 2, wherein in the case of the frequency division of the measurement frequency (f₁) and of the superimposed phase noise (f₁(t)) of the first and second measurement signal (V₁′, V₂′), synchronizing the phases of the first and second signal (V₁, V₂) with one another.
 4. Method for measuring phase noise according to claim 3, comprising in the case of a positive edge of the first and second measurement signal (V₁′, V₂′), synchronizing the phases of the first and second signal (V₁, V₂).
 5. Method for measuring phase noise according to claim 3, comprising in the case of a negative edge of the first and second measurement signal (V₁, V₂′), synchronizing the phases of the first and second signal (V₁, V₂).
 6. Method for measuring phase noise according to claim 1, wherein the first frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/N) of the first signal (V₁) and the second frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/M) of the second signal (V₂) are a different frequency.
 7. Method for measuring phase noise according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the correlation spectrum is followed by a time averaging of correlation spectra following one another in time succession.
 8. Device for measuring the phase noise of a measurement signal (V) of a signal source (100) with a given measurement frequency (f₁) and with a superimposed phase noise (f₁(t)), comprising a distributor for generating a first and a second measurement signal (V₁′, V₂′) from the measurement signal (V), a first unit for reducing the measurement frequency (f₁) and the phase noise (f₁(t)) of the first measurement signal (V₁′) to a first frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/N) of a first signal (V₁), a second unit for reducing the measurement frequency (f₁) and the phase noise (f₁(t)) of the second measurement signal (V₂′) to a second frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/M) of a second signal (V₂), a first phase-locked loop for determining a third signal (V₃) with a third frequency (f₃(t)) compensated by the measurement frequency (f₁) relative to the first frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/N) of the first signal (V₁), a second phase-locked loop for determining a fourth signal (V₄) with a fourth frequency (f₄(t)) compensated by the measurement frequency (f₁) relative to the second frequency ((f₁+f₁(t))/M) of the second signal (V₂), and a correlator for determining the correlation spectrum from the third and fourth phase signal (V₃, V₄), wherein the first or respectively second unit for reducing the frequency (f₁+f₁(t)) of the first or respectively second measurement signal (V₁′, V₂′) is a first or second frequency divider.
 9. Device for measuring phase noise according to claim 8, wherein the first and second frequency divider comprises in each case at least one cascaded, feedback, edge-triggered D flip-flop circuit capable of being reset.
 10. Device for measuring phase noise according to claim 8, wherein a phase comparator for comparing the phase of the first signal (V₁) at the output of the first frequency divider with the phase of the second signal (V₂) at the output d the second frequency divider is connected downstream of the first and second frequency divider.
 11. Device for measuring phase noise according to claim 10, wherein in the case of a different phase of the first and second signal (V₁, V₂), a reset logic circuit for the synchronous resetting of the edge-triggered D flip-flop circuits cascaded respectively in the first and second frequency divider is connected downstream of the phase comparator.
 12. Device for measuring the phase noise of a signal according to claim 8, wherein the triggering of the first or the second frequency divider is implemented in each case in an adjustable manner with a positive or a negative edge of the first or respectively second measurement signal (V₁′, V₂′) at the input of the first or second frequency divider. 